Lieutenant General Arnel Dela Vega, Western Mindanao Command chief, said, “Military troops escalate their deliberate and focused operations against Abu Sayyaf militants, days after the spate of offensives in Sulu.”

“We are gaining a foothold as we sustain our tactical offensives on the ground. This is evinced by the number of militants slain in our successive armed engagements against the enemies in Sulu,” he added.